YouTube Prankster Inadvertently Reconnects Florida Family With Missing Mother Living On LA Streets

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A viral YouTube video showing a random act of kindness has reconnected a homeless woman living on the streets of Los Angeles with her family in Florida.

The connection was made after Brooke Roberts — who is well-known for his YouTube channel called Prank Nation — went out of his way on July 4 to offer free meals to the homeless living in downtown Los Angeles.

He filmed interactions while handing out food to disadvantaged people in a video titled “Feeding the Homeless,” which has been viewed more than 500,000 times to date.

After the video circulated for about 10 days, Roberts received an email from a man named Edward stating a woman who appeared in the video is his 10-year-old son’s mother, Jaime, who has suffered from addiction for the past 10 years and has been missing from their Florida home since November.

“I can’t believe you found her,” Edward wrote in the email. “You are a miracle, a God send. Thank you so much for making that video.”

“My son has been in tears for over an hour,” he continued. “He thought something terrible happened to her. We are all so happy to know she is alive.”

After conversing by phone, Roberts felt more than inclined to help Edward and his son reconnect with their missing loved one.